The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was Germany's most produced armoured fighting vehicle during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the proven Panzer III tank. Initially intended as a mobile, armoured light gun for infantry support, the StuG was continually modified and was widely employed as a tank destroyer.

Originally designed as a mobile, light gun to provide close infantry support, the StuG III first entered service in 1940. Early models were armed with a modest, low-velocity 75mm StuK 37 L/24 gun, but by the Spring of 1942 the Germans had modified the StuG III with a higher velocity StuK 40 L/43 gun so that it was a better match for Soviet KV-1 and T-34 tanks. The new configuration quickly proved to be an exceptionally effective tank destroyer--cost effective, easily camouflaged and difficult to target. By the spring of 1944, StuG IIIs were responsible for destroying some 20,000 Allied tanks.